- April 16, 2024
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Stick to student count, not demographics, with rezoning
Dear Editor:
According to the article appearing in Nov. 10 edition of the Palm Coast Observer, Flagler Palm Coast High School is over its capacity by 130 students, and Matanzas is under capacity by 300.
The idea to level these numbers seems like a worthy endeavor. Mike Judd, director of school operations, presented two rezoning options, one being to rezone the W-section and the other to "rezone the western portions of both the W- and R-sections, which would also slightly change the demographics.”
Superintendent Valentine's position regarding rezoning apparently is not for the purpose of leveling the student count. She wants "to take a look at the demographic balance" and wants to rezone "socioeconomically and with ethnicity.”
What is the purpose of these rezoning “workshops”? Is it to level the student populations in either school or to waste time, and stray from the student count problem? If the issue is overcrowding, address overcrowding. Don't go off on some self-righteous crusade of demographics, socioeconomics and ethnicity.
Carl Marco
Palm Coast
City Council refuses to listen to reason on impact fees
Dear Editor:
In a debate or discussion between individuals when the dialogue devolves to personal derision and ad hominem attacks, you know the aggressor is out of intelligent arguments. We see this in politics every day.
Such was the case Oct. 30 when Palm Coast City Councilman Jason DeLorenzo's motives were questioned by Councilman Bill Lewis and others at the city's workshop meeting debating impact fees and a possible moratorium.
There is no refuting DeLorenzo's argument that the city of Palm Coast has no rational reason to collect one additional dollar of impact fees for parks and recreation. DeLorenzo demonstrated by using the city's own comprehensive plan requirements that the current inventory of dedicated park acreage and the current fund balances allocated for park construction support a city population of 110,000 residents, which is approximately 1.5 times the size of the current city population.
With those facts and others presented to them calmly and professionally by DeLorenzo, Lewis and others took the cowardly and age-old approach to political debates: When you don't have the facts on your side and you don't have the intellectual horsepower to refute logic, you attack personally.
We deserve better from our elected officials.
Donald T. O’Brien Jr.
Palm Coast
Smoking is unhealthy for anyone. Don’t pick on the Flagler Free Clinic
Dear Editor:
This is in response to the Nov. 7 letter to the editor, "Free health care for smoking patients makes no sense."
Does anyone disagree that smoking in general makes no sense? Why was the letter writer “disgusted” with one of our smoking patients? Don't doctors everywhere treat smokers? Also, why does the letter writer single out welfare recipients to be smoke free?
I think we all agree that our nation would be much healthier if everyone quit smoking and that our health care system would be much better off if it did not have to deal with the resulting problems such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, cancer, etc.
The Flagler County Free Clinic actually refers smoking patients to the free six-week smoking cessation classes offered through Florida Hospital Flagler. Of course, one must want to quit smoking in order to successfully quit this unhealthy and expensive addiction. But at least this patient was brave enough to be photographed and named in the article and should not be labeled "disgusting and inconsiderate." I look forward to and enjoy reading the Palm Coast Observer and I am thankful that the wonderfully written article was in the paper.
However, as stated, the larger picture is that of the long line of patients who arrive four or more hours before we open, just to get a chance to see a medical provider. Would you want your picture taken if you had no other option but to visit a free clinic?
The tone of the previous letter was negative and insulting, which seems to be the way things are today, especially in politics. Many people would much rather criticize and result to name calling rather than try to understand the situation.
How much stress and desperation must a person be under in order to wait hours just to seek medical care? The Free Clinic operates off the generosity of its co-founders, volunteers, and donors, which is a positive benefit to people in Flagler County — smokers or not.
Michaelyn Milidantri
Palm Coast
Erred typification in Cops Corner
Dear Editor:
In the Nov. 7 Cops Corner, you note that a man was arrested for "disorderly intoxification.” I hope the deputy notificated his family as to his wherebaouts.
George Upper
Palm Coast
Editor’s Note: We appreciate your close reading of our publification.
RED LIGHTS OF DOOM
Red light cameras are inefficient, as proved by the Red Eyes of Doom
Dear Editor:
In regard to the new feature on Page 8, “Red Eyes of Doom,” although you don't say it, the cameras are pretty inefficient.
The 7% figure you cited would have attracted more attention if you used violation events (the times the cameras take a picture) against the citations issued (tickets issued). How does 363 pictures vs. 26 tickets sound? Really brings home the inefficiency of the Red Eyes of Doom.
Now the real question I would pose is how does the company that installed these "Eyes" get paid? If they get a piece of the action for every picture taken, then Palm Coast was and is being "taken.”
Richard G. Smith
Palm Coast
Editor’s Note: City Manager Jim Landon pointed out to us last week that we needed to adjust the data we’re reporting. It’s likely that more than 26 tickets would be issued out of 363 violations because we didn’t include the number that is still in the workflow without any judgment made yet. This week, we have included that information on Page 8.
That said, it’s not our intention to point out how efficient or inefficient they are — just the facts.
American Traffic Solutions is paid by the citation, not the violation; it splits $75 per citation with the city of Palm Coast.
A modest proposal: Rename the city of Palm Coast
Dear Editor
I was just thinking, since we seem to have more red light cameras than palm trees, maybe we should change the name of our city from "Palm Coast" to "Camera Coast.” What do you think?
Charlie Dean
Camera Coast, USA
